Studebaker Styling Dept. featured in November 1947 Mechanix Illustrated

[Studebaker Wheel]

Mechanix IllustratedMI did not identify anyone in the images I can tell you that Virgil Exner is shown with his back to the camera in the bottom of the photo on page 1 and Robert Bourke is the gentleman in the photo at the bottom of page 2. The photo at the top of page 4 is quite interesting inasmuch as it shows the entire studio including two ladies. I have labeled three of the principals A) Loewy B) Exner, and C) Bourke. Interesting also is that Exner was fired by Loewy shortly after this photo was taken.

With specific regard to the first photo on page one (the color shot with the girl and convertible) it is particularly significant in that it is one of the models that is known to have survived and is on display at the Studebaker National Museum. Special Interest Autos

[clonelark]

The yellow & black car in pic 2, looks like a 4 door hardtop.

[Studebaker Wheel]

The yellow & black car in pic 2, looks like a 4 door hardtop.

I looked at the original. It has a B pillar.

[57pack]

This coupled with the spread Studebaker received in Life that year must have had things in South Bend humming!
We had a 47 Champion, must have been an early one as it had a stand up spare and a neat storage tray in the trunk.
Also found out later it had a WW2 leftover motor as many of the bolt heads were drilled and wired.
Thank you once again Richard, hope they find the lap robe and Luckies!

[56H-Y6]

Hi Richard

Thanks for posting these, I recall seeing this article in the college library periodical stacks forty years ago. Special Interest Auto magazine in those years was the best researched and written available, my prized back issues are still a constant reference source. Because a good many of the principles involved were still with us and read it, responses directly from them were common. Only Collectible Automobile magazine comes close to the quality of the original SIA.

Note on the various models on page two that many have the windshield and side windows treated as would be done on convertibles and shortly on hardtops i.e. thin, chrome surrounds and narrow pillars. Given such ideas were in the studio at this time, by the 1953 line, hardtop-styling should have been extended to sedans as well....except for conservative engineering and management directives.

Steve

[StudeRich]

[BRUCESTUDE]

Thanks for posting, Richard! The Studebaker Corp. was big deal after WWII-what with the new styling coming out fairly early compared to the big 3, and the hungry car buying public.

[Mikado282]

They had record sales and profits in the 47-52 era. Instead of reinvesting they paid the money as dividends thus starting the last slippery slope that was to lead to their demise.